Nnamdi Kanu’s Detention Reaches US Congress as Lawmaker Pushes for Release

The detention of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has reached the floor of the United States Congress after Congressman John James called for his immediate release or a fresh trial that complies with the Nigerian Constitution.

The development was disclosed on Thursday night by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a post on X.

Announcing the move, Ejimakor wrote: “BREAKING: US Congressman John James moves a motion on the floor of US Congress for the immediate release of MAZI NNAMDI KANU. Kudos to DOS, AVID, Ambassadors for Self Determination & Rising Sun for a job well done in record time, and in the open for the whole world to see.”

According to video following Ejimakor’s post, the motion presented before the US Congress urged lawmakers to support a call for the Nigerian government to either conduct another trial for Kanu in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution or release him immediately.

The latest development comes just days after Kanu’s legal team threatened legal action over comments made during a television interview in which a guest allegedly urged the Federal Government to kill the detained IPOB leader.

The controversy followed remarks by Chigozie Nnabugwu, who reportedly said during a live television programme that peace would gradually return to the South-East if Kanu was killed by the Nigerian government. According to him, “If Nnamdi Kanu is dead today, if the Government of Nigeria will kill Nnamdi Kanu, trust me, normalcy will start coming, and that’s what every Igbo man prays for.”

Reacting to the comments, Ejimakor, on behalf of Kanu’s legal team, condemned the statement, describing it as dangerous, unlawful and capable of inciting violence. He said, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team hereby strongly condemns the statement made by one Mr. Chigozie Nnabugwu… in which he publicly urged the Government of Nigeria to kill our client for ‘normalcy to return to the Southeast.’”

He added, “This call for extrajudicial killing is reckless, irresponsible, and unlawful. And it constitutes a clear threat to life and risks inciting a breakdown of public order.”

The legal team argued that such remarks could violate Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises messages capable of threatening lives or causing a breakdown of law and order through electronic means. They also accused the television station that aired the interview of failing to properly moderate the programme, warning that it could face regulatory sanctions for allegedly allowing inflammatory comments to be broadcast.

The lawyers further maintained that demanding Kanu’s killing while his terrorism-related case remains before the Federal High Court in Abuja amounts to an attempt to undermine the judicial process. They demanded that Nnabugwu publicly retract his statement and that the television station issue an unreserved apology, warning that failure to do so would lead to legal action.

Kanu has remained in the custody of the Federal Government since his return to Nigeria in 2021 and is currently facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.